FEMA won’t provide individual assistance for flood-hit regions

The Federal Emergency Management Agency won’t be providing money from its Individual Assistance Program to assist those affected by recent flooding in the Mohawk Valley, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a statement Monday afternoon.

As I have said from the day the flood waters devastated towns and villages across Upstate New York, if federal assistance is not provided, the State of New York will step in to provide whatever is needed so New Yorkers can rebuild their lives and their homes,” Cuomo said.

The federal government said late Friday that it would be providing infrastructure aid to municipalities, which it concluded had sustained at least $32.7 million in damage from the flooding. That decision covered Allegany, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Franklin, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Otsego and Warren counties.

Cuomo has previously said that the federal government’s failure to provide adequate resources for affected communities would prompt him to bring lawmakers back to Albany to approve relief funding (and maybe get the Assembly to pass the nine Senate-passed planks in the Women’s Equality Agenda, perhaps).

Here’s Cuomo’s full statement:

“Today, FEMA has informed New York State that residents in communities affected by the recent flooding will not be eligible for the Individual Assistance program that would have provided federal funds to help homeowners rebuild and recover. Hundreds of families sustained significant damage to their homes and have had their lives upended. New Yorkers believe in coming together to help each other in times of disaster. We are good neighbors and come to each other’s aid. As I have said from the day the flood waters devastated towns and villages across Upstate New York, if federal assistance is not provided, the State of New York will step in to provide whatever is needed so New Yorkers can rebuild their lives and their homes. An effective government is one that serves the people and when disaster strikes is there to help. In this situation, people need help, and you haven’t seen anything until you see New Yorkers come together. The state will step up to the plate to ensure that those affected by these floods have the resources and assistance they need to get their lives back together.”